LGBT in Britain - Health

Half of LGBT people (52 per cent) experienced depression in the last year

Research shows LGBT people face widespread discrimination in healthcare settings

One in seven LGBT people (14 per cent) avoid seeking healthcare for fear of discrimination from staff

Stonewall commissioned YouGov to carry out a survey asking more than 5,000 lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) people across England, Scotland and Wales about their life in Britain today. This report, part of a series based on the research, looks at mental health and well-being of LGBT people and investigates the specific experiences of LGBT people when accessing healthcare services.

This study shows the rates of depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions among LGBT people. It also looks into the accessibility of healthcare services and discrimination LGBT people face when seeking medical support.

Download the report

Key findings

Half of LGBT people (52 per cent) said they’ve experienced depression in the last year.

One in eight LGBT people aged 18-24 (13 per cent) said they’ve attempted to take their own life in the last year.

Almost half of trans people (46 per cent) have thought about taking their own life in the last year, 31 per cent of LGB people who aren’t trans said the same.

Forty-one per cent of non-binary people said they harmed themselves in the last year compared to 20 per cent of LGBT women and 12 per cent of GBT men.

One in six LGBT people (16 per cent) said they drank alcohol almost every day over the last year.

One in eight LGBT people aged 18-24 (13 per cent) took drugs at least once a month.

One in eight LGBT people (13 per cent) have experienced some form of unequal treatment from healthcare staff because they’re LGBT.

Almost one in four LGBT people (23 per cent) have witnessed discriminatory or negative remarks against LGBT people by healthcare staff. In the last year alone, six per cent of LGBT people – including 20 per cent of trans people – have witnessed these remarks.

One in twenty LGBT people (five per cent) have been pressured to access services to question or change their sexual orientation when accessing healthcare services.

One in five LGBT people (19 per cent) aren’t out to any healthcare professional about their sexual orientation when seeking general medical care. This number rises to 40 per cent of bi men and 29 per cent of bi women.

One in seven LGBT people (14 per cent) have avoided treatment for fear of discrimination because they're LGBT.

What respondents said

I got sectioned after a suicide attempt and the nurse said that my mental health problems were due to allowing Satan in my soul. If I just accepted my true gender then God could forgive me.

Elijah, 19 (South East)

I am being treated for depression, which is caused in part by not being able to access any LGBT senior age-related groups within 80 miles of me. I would be actively involved in such a group if I could find one, but there is nothing. I feel very isolated.